You can only eat so much

[Youri]

Hi there, I am new to this forum! I am from the Netherlands but spent the better half of the last 2 - 3 years abroad (mostly Mexico and the USA). I work as a programmer working for various Dutch clients that don't mind me spending most of my time on the other side of the world as long as I deliver what they want.

 

I currently weigh 58 kg (128 lbs), 7 kg more than a year I go when I was 51 kg (112 lbs). I am 1.74 m (5'7") so I am underweight. Last year I just tried to eat A LOT more, extra meals, more high calorie foods, lots of nuts, ice cream, shakes, sugar, et cetera. I got sick of eating so much recently and I am now looking for a way too eat (and train) smarter to gain more weight (fat and muscles). Went to nutrionists but they mostly just tell me to eat more, I believe there's another way. I would like to weigh at least 66 kg (145 lbs) so I'll have a healthy BMI of 22.

 

Edit: saw that some people added a picture, so here we go:

 

Currently digging trough the forums looking for similar stories, if you happen to know one I would appreciate it if you post the link here

[Ba'sini'on]

Welcome!

 

LOL San Bernardino is where I used to live, in fact my family drove down that highway when we went on trips! Brings back good memories. What did you think of California?

 

You know sugar is just empty calories, maybe you need more fat instead of calories. Like lard, butter, nuts, etc. you know healthy fats that stick to your ribs. Honestly, I don't know anything on weight gain...oh wait, my friend Bones can help! Her goal is to gain weight, she most likely has some really good advice on how to go about it. Give her a PM!

[cityalien]

Hello and welcome! I am glad that you have realized that just "eating more" is not the solution. Often, it is eating the right things for your body. Simply "eating more" as a solution often results in reaching for sugar and carbs that could even make you less healthy than when you started! You should check out the article on Paleo and do some research for yourself. Switch a few things around, maybe add and subtract. Ultimately, you are the one that can decide most accurately what is best for your body.

If you ever need help or support, don't hesitate to drop me a message!

[strangeling06]

Welcome!

While I'm not the expert, my understanding seems to be that people who try to gain weight tend to add dairy, Brown or wild rice, and potatoes to their diet.

[sylkamaru]

Hello welcome ectomorph bro' !!!

 

As yourself I was a skinny one (I have female friends with wrist bones bigger than mine)

lol we're like doppelgangers, I'm also 1m74, and went from 59 kgs to 68 kgs today (maxed 70.3 kgs this year)

 

I'll save you a lot of testing : for us little shrimps to bulk, we have to lift, and lift heavy : big deadlifts and squats (that's why it's the only free weight drills I keep in my workouts). I tried kettlebells, dumbbells, bodyweights program, circuits, machines... I ate more than one whole chicken a day, 5 meals / day... did gain a little, but the constraints was horrible (big workout, often, many meals...), it took me more than two years to get about 65-67 kgs... because I stay out of lifting heavy because of fear and false ideas spread about big lifts

 

Then I discover deadlifting heavy. I did pass 70 kgs for the first time ever in a few months

without that much diet constraints (I took 3 bigs meals - whole carbs + meats - at normal meal hours + 1/2 liter fat free milk before sleeping)

 

(I learn the scientific explanation afterwards : bulking comes a lot from testosterone, which us ectomorph have little. only big heavy lifting pikes that hormone enough to increase size fast)

 

I'll be glad to help you because I was definitely at the same point.

And if I was capable, there is no way you won't be able to make it

The bad news is, you won't have that much choices...

[Youri]

Thanks for your replies!

 

I liked California I lot, especially San Diego. Did a complete west coast road trip with a friend, visiting a lot of National Parks, the Grand Canyon, stayed a week in Las Vegas et cetera, very nice trip.

 

For me it was a trade-off between staying underweight (unhealthy) and temporary eating a lot of sugar (unhealthy). Read about Paleo before and ended up becoming interested in the Bullet Proof diet (guess is kind of a variant on Paleo). Didn't try it yet, however. Traditionally we eat a lot of potatoes in the Netherlands, I guess I just need to eat a lot more of them.

 

What's your opinion about substituting soya for milk? I am not a big fan of milk. Currently for breakfast I have wheat or oats with half a liter of soya.

 

Sylkamaru, thanks a lot for your tips about working out, I currently just use machines, no deadlifting at all.. And a limited amount of squats.

 

I find it very hard to eat a lot while being abroad, especially while travelling.

[sylkamaru]

Are they real squat or smith machine squats ?

Smith machine squats are no way close to a real squats, it is sold like a safer version but this is bs :

- if you had bad form in smith squat, you have bad form in real back squats, and it's not safe in any case

- smith machine only hit one plane : up / down. In real back squats, the bar can also go forward or back. it forces stabilization with the core

- machine gives a feeling of safety, therefore making people pay less attention. Most say "ok the machine is safe, it's not that bad if I fail"

With back squats, you know it's a demanding drill, then you will have max focus and won't be tempted to cheat a little

- range of motion : machine stops at parallel if not even before... with enough flexibility, a squat should go the most down

- you'll need lesser weight with a real squat because all the work done by your stabilizer and with greater range of motion will deplete you with way less weight

 

Actually most of the arguments are the ones of the fight "machines vs functional drills" (free weights and bodyweight )

 

I understand convenience is important, because if there are too many constraints it would difficult on long term, but I you can get yourself some way to do functional drills conveniently it would be better

 

if not, PROVE ME WRONG AND MAKE THOSE MACHINES BEEF YOU UP BIG !!!!

[Duality]

BACON, EAT ALL THE BACON!

 

That is all from me, as I know nothing of this subject, but if you came here for help, you're in the right place!

 

Enjoy your stay at NF and welcome ^^

[Youri]

Never used a machine to do squats, just bicep curl, pulldown, chest press, fly, et cetera. I actually did old fashioned squats, but I quit them because.. well nobody does squats at my gym (that is a stupid reason, yes). Working on a food and workout schedule to gain that much needed kilograms, will post it somewhere on the forums soon.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

Get in plenty of simple carbohydrates to spike insulin. You need that anabolic boost all day. Eating simple carbs will kick up insulin and empty faster from you stomach faster making you hungrier and giving you room to cram more in. I say eat about 30 grams of simple carbs about 30 minutes to an hour before devouring each meal and again before bed. Don't worry about paleo or bullet proof for now if your goal is gaining weight as it can be difficult to eat enough from paleo foods to put on weight.